Captain America had one of the best endings in Avengers: Endgame, but it left him unworthy to wield Mjolnir again after the fight against Thanos.

Captain America’s ending in Avengers: Endgame effectively made him unworthy of Thor’s hammer. Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers had some of the best moments in the 2019 Marvel Cinematic Universe mega-hit. Some of his coolest scenes include finally delivering the iconic “Avengers Assemble” line and his face-off against himself in the New York leg of the Battle of New York. Two of his finest sequences, wielding the Mjölnir and reuniting with Peggy in the ’40s, may not seem like they were connected, but they were actually tied with each other.

Throughout his stint in the MCU, Steve functioned as the Avengers’ moral compass. Despite the many challenges and temptations that were on his way, Steve Rogers remained steadfast in his desire to be of service to humankind — something that had always been innate in him long before he was chosen for the MCU’s Super Soldier Program. So it wasn’t surprising when Captain America was revealed to be worthy of Mjölnir during the Battle of Earth in Avengers: Endgame. Even Thor exclaimed that he had always known this.

Captain America’s Endgame Ending Should Make Him Unworthy

It was Odin who laid out the rules of being worthy of wielding Mjölnir in the 2011 Thor film. The Allfather asked the God of Thunder if he was ready to give up all selfish wishes for the good of the realms as part of his challenge to prove himself worthy, saying “Do you swear to cast aside all selfish ambition and to pledge yourself only to the good of the Realms?” Thor swore to it, explaining why he was able to use Mjölnir until Hela destroyed it in Thor: Ragnarok. This stipulation never changed, which means that Captain America was subjected to the same guidelines.

While Steve wouldn’t have any issues abiding by it during the Battle of Earth, Captain America’s Avengers: Endgame ending rendered him unworthy of the hammer. As Odin mandated, only those who give up their personal desires will be deemed worthy of Mjölnir. Steve broke this code at the end of Avengers: Endgame when he opted to go back and stay in the 1940s to reunite with Peggy and retire.

Why Captain America Rejecting Heroism Was His Real Happy Ending

Captain America wasn’t perfect. Throughout his time in the MCU, he did have some lapses, including not telling Iron Man about Bucky killing his parents. However, it’s difficult to argue against the ending that he got in the MCU, especially considering the kind of life he had led for years.

The deaths of Iron Man and Black Widow in Avengers: Endgame highlighted the so-called “curse of superheroes,” which was the cost of their heroism. That being said, Captain America didn’t need to sacrifice anymore. He had given so much to the world that he deserved his own happiness — something that he never thought he would ever get. So while he may not be worthy of Mjölnir anymore, it was a good trade-off for the life that he was able to live.